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Examining whether lung screening changes risk perceptions: National Lung Screening Trial participants at 1-year follow-up.

About this Publication
Title
Examining whether lung screening changes risk perceptions: National Lung Screening Trial participants at 1-year follow-up.
Pubmed ID
23280348 (View this publication on the PubMed website)
Publication
Cancer. 2013 Apr; Volume 119 (Issue 7): Pages 1306-13
Authors
Park ER, Gareen IF, Jain A, Ostroff JS, Duan F, Sicks JD, Rakowski W, Diefenbach M, Rigotti NA
Affiliations
  • Mongan Institute for Health Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA. epark@partners.org
Abstract

BACKGROUND: The National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) research team reported reduced lung cancer mortality among current and former smokers with a minimum 30 pack-year history who were screened with spiral computed tomography scans compared with chest x-rays. The objectives of the current study were to examine, at 1-year follow-up: 1) risk perceptions of lung cancer and smoking-related diseases and behavior change determinants, 2) whether changes in risk perceptions differed by baseline screening result; and 3) whether changes in risk perceptions affected smoking behavior.

METHODS: A 25-item risk perception questionnaire was administered to a subset of participants at 8 American College of Radiology Imaging Network/NLST sites before initial and 1-year follow-up screens. Items assessed risk perceptions of lung cancer and smoking-related diseases, cognitive and emotional determinants of behavior change, and knowledge of smoking risks.

RESULTS: Among 430 NLST participants (mean age, 61.0 years; 55.6% men; 91.9% white), half were current smokers at baseline. Overall, risk perceptions and associated cognitive and emotional determinants of behavior change did not change significantly from prescreen trial enrollment to 1-year follow-up and did not differ significantly by screening test result. Changes in risk perceptions were not associated with changes in smoking status (9.7% of participants quit, and 6.6% relapsed) at 1-year follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS: Lung screening did not change participants' risk perceptions of lung cancer or smoking-related disease. A negative screening test, which was the most common screening result, did not appear to decrease risk perceptions nor provide false reassurance to smokers.

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